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User blog:DemonaCarrolltucky/Real Estate
__TOC__ Need to move into a new apartment? Well, I have compiled a collection of some of the realtor sites I have seen recommended over the last couple of years. I have also listed a few things to take note of and tips while searching If you haven't checked it out already, please read Arranging for your Own Real Estate Agent. Best of luck, I hope you find a place that you like! TIPS *Try to shop around as much as you can, not only to get an idea of the market price, but because apartments have a high turnover rate as well. *Most real estate companies are all the same, but the big question is how well your agent is going to fight for you. If you think they aren't doing their best, go somewhere else. Really! *If you want to take your time choosing a place, try staying at a share or guest house for a month until you find something that really fits. If you do this, don't forget to register a change of address at city hall. *If you plan to stay more than one year, ask if there is a contract renewal fee or higher rent after the first contract lease is up. *If your Japanese isn't great, bring a friend who can haggle for cheaper prices. Sometimes you can get some cleaning fees reduced or even eliminated completely if you agree to clean things up yourself. *Just a head up, some landlords or management agencies may not like renting to foreigners, even if you have a guarantor or speak Japanese. *Some sites might only be in Japanese. No worries, Google Translate should help you navigate the site with more ease. *If a map feature is available, give it a look. It really helps with getting an idea of where everything is located in the neighborhood; supermarkets, convenience stores, stations, coin laundries, etc... *Check listings with Foreign Nationality 外国籍 Sotokokuseki. If it says 可 Ka then it is okay and 不可 Fuka means not okay. There's also sometimes Consultation 相談 Sōdan, which means they can be persuaded. They usually just want to check your Japanese level, see if you've lived in Japan before, etc... *A lot of places have thin walls, so noise may be an issue if you are a light sleeper. Some landlords are against musical instruments, so keep an eye out for No Instruments 楽器不可 Gakki-fuka. *A lot of places don't allow pets either, so double check if it is ok. If it says anything like ペット禁止 (petto kinshi), ペット不可 (petto fuka), or ペット厳禁 (petto genkin) then you won't be allowed to have pets. PUBLIC JETs (Tokyo BOE only) :Relo (Relocation Japan) Relo's relationship between you, the realtor, and the housing management can be a bit confusing, so here is a bit of a breakdown. :Relo assigns you a real estate agent which helps you find an apartment. Once you've found a place, the real estate agent and Relo a make rental agreement. Then, you sublease from Relo, making them your guarantor. PRIVATE JETs :GTN (Global Trust Networks) I don't really know, but I believe GTN handles things the same way as Relo. REAL ESTATE SITES Some sites might only be in Japanese. No worries, Google Translate should help you navigate the site with ease. :Agharta Inc :Apamanshop :Asumirai Home Solutions for Foreigners :Best Estate :E Heya :Good Rooms :Heya Monogatari :Housecom :Kencorp :Lifull Home's :MiniMini :Nihon Agent Real Estate :Real Estate :Rise Corp :Suumo :Tokyo Apartment :Wagaya Japan :Zee Brothers Homes SHARE HOUSING Share housing is a cheap means of finding a place to stay. Essentially, you are renting a private room while other spaces such as the kitchen, bath, TV room, and living are communal. If you haven't already, please check out the Tokyo JET Wiki's info page on Share Houses :Borderless :Colish :Tokyo Room Finder :Tokyo Sharehouse GUEST HOUSING Guest Houses are similar to share housing, but in some cases, all rooms are communal. :Sakura House :Oak House OTHER Sorry, this bit is real short. I have not heard too much about it, but Facebook and Craiglist are sometimes used to hunt down a new place or roommates. I have only heard of a handful of people doing it. All of them had been in Japane for a while, so they had plenty of time to search for what they wanted and had friends to help them move. Category:Daily Life Category:IncomingJETs Category:Setting Up Category:JET Blogs Category:Blog posts